Written by Sidney Webster. Media by Ethan Maurer. Every high school senior faces a challenge: what does one do with the rest of their life? Some know exactly the career they wish to pursue and make a run for it. Others are not as sure. As a senior in high school, I was not confident in my future plans. I was sure about going to college but did not know where or what for. The only absolute was basketball, th ...

Written and Media by Kalynn Pierce. Is it possible for someone with a mental illness to suffer without anybody knowing? Some people would give a resounding NO. But I beg to differ. I know of several people, including myself, who have a mental illness and those closest to them wouldn’t have suspected anything had they not shared those details with them. This isn't a jab at my family or friends by any means; ...

Written and Media by Maggie Schoepke. So many women live in poverty, not because they lack abilities, but because they lack opportunity." This powerful statement can be attributed to the world mission organization Trades of Hope. Trades of Hope is a hand-crafted business that aims to empower women "out of sex trade, sweatshops, slums, and extreme poverty." The company provides impoverished women with opport ...

Written by Ashley Chaney. Media by Joey Clinton. The start of a new semester can be an exciting, yet intimidating, tightrope-walk for many students. From balancing the many assignments and exams to working a job, while also attempting to have a social life, it can be difficult to get back in the swing of things in order to succeed throughout the semester. In order for students to do well, it’s vital that th ...

Written by Lia Kruse. Media by Ethan Maurer. I started running in eighth grade when my best friend, Julia, suggested I join cross country with her. This was because my previous dream of becoming a volleyball player fell through my fingers when I barely reached five feet tall. I signed up for cross country camp. And hated it. Besides the fact that I couldn’t keep up with Julia, I was miserable. I still vivid ...

Written by Kori Nesbit. Media by Ethan Maurer. “What an absolute honor it was to be named First Runner-Up at the Miss Illinois State Fair Queen Pageant. I have seen God move in my life in so many ways throughout my reign as Miss Richland County. Thank you to everyone who prayed many prayers for me and sent so many words of encouragement. I appreciate all of the support. I feel incredibly blessed to be from ...

Written and Media by Kalynn Pierce. Recently, I heard the heartbreaking news that a man from my hometown shot himself. He left no note and, to my knowledge, gave no obvious warning signs that he was in distress or hurting. This left so many people with indescribable pain and many burning questions. As soon as I heard it, though I didn’t know him outside of meeting at a few social events, my heart broke. It ...

Written and media by Momoka Murata. Did you go Black Friday shopping during Thanksgiving break? Have you prepared for Christmas? For those who have bought Christmas presents or those who are going to, this article will introduce you to a special Japanese gift-wrapping technique. Before showing a wrapping technique video, I will explain why Japanese people wrap presents in a unique way. Japanese present wra ...

Written and media by Bobby Neal. For most of the world, December is full of holiday love and joy, but December for college students is full of stress from final projects, exams, and presentations. The Month of Due Dates, some would rather call it. The early days of the month bring nightmares of messing up on your final paper or maybe your roommate using your computer and deleting your final speech. We all h ...

Written and media by Maggie Schoepke. The issue of privacy is certainly something that instills a sense of fear in us—especially the older generation. Since so much of the internet is public and out of our control, it is hard to know when or if human rights are being violated. Many issues have arisen from this concern over the past couple of years, and recently there has been unease at the level of governme ...